Potato Stocks Down 16 Percent

USDA’s April 1 U.S. potato stocks report totaled 129 million cwt, down 16 percent from 2001.

Potatoes in storage account for 33 percent of the fall storage states’ production, unchanged from a year ago. Disappearance from the start of harvest to April 1 is 265 million cwt.

Eastern states stored 5.6 million cwt, Central states 27.5 million, and the Western states held 95.9 million, down 19 percent from last year. Idaho’s stocks are down 14 percent from a year ago while Washington is down 15 percent and Oregon is off 37 percent.

Colorado’s stocks are down 29 percent and California’s holdings are down 85 percent from a year ago.